Business Quote by Flann O'Brien
““Recently in mixed company...I ventured to make the claim ( not without some show of humility and modesty ) that I was the greatest living swine.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O'Brien, 1939
The speaker humorously claims to be the greatest living swine, highlighting self‑deprecation and absurdist humor.
In simple terms: A comic boast that mocks pride.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility through humor.
Themes
absurdism
humor
self‑deprecation
Mood
playful
ironic
Type
literary
satirical
When to use this quote
- social gatherings
- self‑presentation
- creative writing
- stand‑up comedy
- online forums
Key Concepts
literature
satire
identity
ego
Questions to Reflect On
- What does calling yourself a swine reveal about ego?
- How does absurd humor challenge social norms?
A Different Perspective
The claim may be taken too literally, missing its satirical tone.
![“I am your soul and all your souls. When I am gone you are dead. Past humanity is not only implicit in each new man born but is contained in him,[...] All humanity from its beginning to its end is already present but the beam has not yet played beyond you! [...] You are not the top of your people's…” quote by Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f2a/flann-o-brien-6916_soul_i-am-your-soul-and-all-your-souls-when-i_105303.jpg)
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)